Review

Franz Biebl
Ave Maria: for 8-part trombone ensemble

Arranged by Robert Kalwas


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2014
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

Franz Biebl, a Bavarian composer of the 20th century, composed Ave Maria in 1964 for a local all-male fireman’s choir. It eventually appeared in the United States via a touring choir. Ave Maria is one of Biebl’s most popular works and is known for its beautiful, flowing and warm melodies that starts with, and has throughout, monophonic, Gregorian Chant-like phrases that give the work an authentic, liturgical feeling. Robert Kalwas’ edition is arranged well. The close harmonies that Biebl used are reciprocated from the original key of C major, giving Ave Maria a lush, warm feeling. All parts are written in bass clef and the range of the work is not large, the lowest note being FF in trombone 8 and the highest note a1 in trombone 1 and trombone 4. For performance, trombones 1-3 are solo/soli voices so I would suggest that these parts be placed together with slight separation from the rest of the ensemble while trombones 4-8 are the “choir” voices and should remain together. Robert Kalwas effectively uses breath marks to indicate where phrases start and to allow for brief pauses to let chords ring throughout the performance space. His use of dynamic contrast helps bring lines forward and enhance the beauty of this great work. Because the arrangement is not technically demanding, a collegiate level trombone ensemble can create wonderful music with Ave Maria and really leave the audience wanting more.

-Matthew J. Visconti
Boston, MA